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ERNEST P. "WARNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,241, dated November 15, 1892.

Application filed February 16, 1891. Serial No. 381,699. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.: be of vulcanite provided with a slot, through Be it known that I, ERNEST P. WARNER, a which the handle f of the rocker g projects, citizen of the United States, residing at Chiin order that the rocker may be moved back cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illiand forth upon its pivot h. When the rocker nois, have invented a certain new and useful g is in the position shown, the wire a will be 55 Improvement in Electric Switches, (Case No. directly connected with wire c by the spring 41,) of which the following isa full, clear, coni, while the wire b will be directly connected oise, and exact description, reference being with the wire d by the spring lo, the rocker g had to the accompanying drawings, forming a being entirely disconnected from the circuit. 1o part of this specification. The under side of each spring t' Za is formed 6o My invention is specially designed for use as shown at Z, Fig. l-that is, on raising the in connection with arc-lighting circuits or handle f the rocker comes against the lower circuits over which dangerous currents are curved portion of the corresponding part of sont. It is-desirable that in all such circuits the springs ik. The touching of the rocker 15 the switches should be so constructed that g to both the springs in this manner serves 65 the operator cannot come in contact with any to electrically connect the springs together. metallic portion that in itself may form part Further upward movement of the handle f of the circuit or be connected therewith. causes the rounded surface of the rocker gto My switch herein described is provided with press against the inwardly-proj ecting curved 2o a shield of insulating material placed in front surfaces of the springs t' k, thus acting as a 7o of the metallic parts of the switch, this shield wedge to lift the springs z' le from their conbeing provided with a slot, through which the tacts m n. The rocker g finally rests in its knob or handle of the rocker projects, this seat or catch provided in the lower portion handle being also of insulating material. of the springs-that is, in the piece l, attached z 5 My invention consists more particularly in thereto. Thus when the handle f is raised 7 5 the combination, with the rocker, of contactthe springs fi 7a are lifted from their respectsprings against which the metallic portion of ive contacts m n and the rocker G is latched the rocker is adapted to be brought to form in position. The upper portion of the pieces a medium of connection between the same, Z,projectinginwardly,as shown,servesto limit 3o while upon the further movement of this the upward movenienhor stroke of the rocker. 8o rocker or cam the springs are lifted each from By simply throwing down the handle f the its normal contact, while the rocker is latched connections of circuits d b with wires c d, rein position to hold the springs thus lifted, but spectively, may be again established. A electrically connected through the medium of switch of the form shown may advantageously 3 5 the rocker. be placed in each lamp-post, so that any lamp 85 My invention will be more readily undermay be entirely disconnected from the circuit stood by reference to the accompanying drawwhen desired.

ings, in Which..- Having thus described my invention, I Figure l is a side elevation of my switch. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 4o Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, the position of Patent- 9o the vulcanite shield being indicated in dotted l. The combination, with the rocker g, havlines. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ing the handle projecting through the shield rocker. c, of the springs 1,' k, having their under sur- Like parts are indicated by similar letters faces oppositethe rocker curved inwardly at 45 of reference throughout the different figures. the lower portion thereof and provided with 95 We will consider the wires a b as connected a seat or catch, the contacts for said springs, with the different poles of the electric maand the circuits, whereby on raising said chine. The wires c d may be considered as rocker the springs are first electrically conthe ends of a loop containing arc lamps or nected together through the medium of the 5c other translating devices. The shield e may rocker and afterward lifted from their con- :oo

being adapted to be raised or lifted from con` 1o tacts at their free ends by the action of said rocker or cam, while at the Same time the springs are thereby placed in electrical connection through the medium of the rocker, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my r 5 name this 12th day of January, A. D. 1891. ERNEST P. WARNER. Witnesses:

ELLA EDLER, GEORGE L. CRAGG. 

